French Historian Cécile Desprairies Sued by Family Over 'La Propagandiste' Defamation Claims

Family Alleges Defamation Over Wartime Depictions

French historian Cécile Desprairies, 68, is currently embroiled in a defamation lawsuit initiated by her brother and a cousin. The legal action stems from her 2024 novel, 'La Propagandiste' (The Propagandist), which portrays her late mother and great-uncle as collaborators during the Nazi occupation of France from 1940 to 1944. The plaintiffs contend that the book constitutes 'public defamation of the memory of the dead' and is an 'act of family vengeance'.

The lawsuit, filed in France, centers on the novel's narrative, which describes the narrator's mother as a 'fervent collaborator' and propagandist, and a great-uncle as the director of a pro-German newspaper during the Vichy regime. Despite the characters in the novel having different names, the relatives argue they are clearly identifiable as their family members. They are seeking to have the book withdrawn from the market and pulped, claiming an 'absence of evidence' for the alleged collaboration.

Author's Defense and Legal Context

Desprairies, a historian specializing in the Nazi occupation, has publicly stated that she grew up in a 'collaborationist family' and that the novel was inspired by her childhood experiences. She maintains that writing fiction was the only way to address this complex period of history and her family's past. Her lawyer argues that connecting the book's fictional narrative to living relatives would demand 'an extreme knowledge of genealogy or a power of divination,' which readers do not possess.

The legal proceedings highlight the nuances of French defamation law. According to legal experts, the French law on the freedom of the press, enacted on July 29, 1881, primarily safeguards the privacy rights of living individuals. Descendants typically cannot sue for damage to a family's honor unless they can demonstrate that their own reputation has been denigrated. Some legal observers suggest that the plaintiffs' claim may be weak under current French law.

Book's Reception and Ongoing Proceedings

'La Propagandiste', published in French in 2023 and subsequently in English, was longlisted for the prestigious Prix Goncourt in 2023 and has received positive critical reviews. Desprairies, who did not attend the court proceedings, has previously described the book as a 'liberation of speech'. She also claims to have found a Nazi propaganda poster in her family home, which she submitted to the judiciary.

The lawsuit was filed in January 2026, and a verdict in the case is expected on March 17. This case underscores the ongoing debate surrounding autofiction and the challenges authors face when drawing inspiration from their personal and family histories, particularly concerning sensitive historical periods.